Operation Respect, founded in 1999 by Peter Yarrow, is a non-profit education organization dedicated to creating safe, respectful, “bully-free” environments within schools, camps and other youth-serving settings.

The Operation Respect website has resources for children, parents and educators, including blogposts, videos and songs. Of note is Operation Respect’s classroom-based educational program, Don’t Laugh At Me (DLAM), a program that helps to build caring school and classroom climates by reducing bullying, peer ridicule and other antisocial behaviors, and enhancing compassion, cooperation, and resolving conflicts peacefully. The DLAM program, which incorporates music and arts into its SEL curriculum, is based on the conflict resolution curricula developed by the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP).

There are three DLAM programs- one for grades 2-5, another for grades 6-8 and a third for summer camps and after-school programs, all provided free of charge and can be ordered on the website. Program materials include a CD with songs, a video and a Teacher’s Guide with activities for building a respectful, cooperative classroom environment.  Operation Respect also offers assembly programs, as well as 1 or 2-day professional development workshops for teachers.